Leadership Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Capito Will Rise To Senior Senator. What Does That Mean For W.Va.?

Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, is not seeking re-election. When he leaves the chamber next January, that elevates Sen. Shelley Moore Capito’s seniority.

Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito will become West Virginia’s senior senator next year. What does that mean for the state’s clout in Washington?

Sen. Joe Manchin, a Democrat, is not seeking re-election. When he leaves the chamber next January, that elevates Capito’s seniority.

Capito is a member of the Senate Republican leadership, and she is the senior Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee.

Both serve on the Appropriations Committee, which gives West Virginia an unusual amount of say over federal spending. Manchin, though, is a committee chairman of Energy and Natural Resources. His departure could diminish the state’s influence.

Unless Republicans wrest control of the Senate after November, which would make Capito chair of the environment committee. That committee authorizes road and bridge projects, as well as water and wastewater infrastructure. Capito took a lead role in what became the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which has brought billions of dollars in funding to the Mountain State. Manchin had a hand in it as well.

West Virginia has a long history of senators leveraging their seniority, up to and including Manchin and Capito. Capito says she’ll continue to leverage hers.

“Well, I will be the senior senator after this next election,” she said. “And that means that my clout is more powerful, and my voice will be more powerful.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Thursday he’d be stepping down as Republican leader in November. McConnell said he’d complete his term. Still, Political observers in Kentucky say that will diminish the influence the state has long enjoyed.

It’s similar to West Virginia’s longtime Sen. Robert C. Byrd. Byrd served in various leadership positions, including majority leader, and he spent more than 50 years in the chamber, using his influence on the state’s behalf. After Byrd’s death in 2010, Manchin took his place.

Capito took the place of Sen. Jay Rockefeller in 2015. By the time he retired, Rockefeller had been in the Senate for 30 years and was chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

Girl Scouts Display Projects, ACLU Promotes Issues At State Capitol

On Monday, West Virginia’s Girl Scouts brought much more than those tasty cookies to the legislature.

For the 60 days of the regular legislative session, organizations from around the state set up displays in the Capitol Rotunda to advocate for their individual causes.

On Monday, West Virginia’s Girl Scouts brought much more than those tasty cookies to the legislature.

The girls from the Black Diamond Council hail from 48 West Virginia counties and are part of a four-state group of Girl Scout troops.

Founded in 1912, Girl Scouting strives to teach its young members leadership skills and being productive citizens with a passion for ingenuity — both outdoors and indoors.

Black Diamond Council CEO Beth Casey said the girls come to the capitol for two reasons: to see the legislature in action, and let the legislators see what they can accomplish.

“Part of being a Girl Scout is learning to advocate for yourself and using your voice to share your needs,” Casey said. “The second thing is for the legislators to see the amazing things that our Girl Scouts have done. They’ve showcased some of the trips, they’ve been on things like robotic competitions and are demonstrating a lot of their community service projects.”

Casey said in 2023, Girl Scouts are still selling cookies, teaching leadership skills and striving to make the world a better place.

ACLU
The American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia was also at the capitol Tuesday to lobby lawmakers and educate the public on civil rights.

The ACLU’s Lobby Day brought advocates for criminal justice reform, LGBTQ rights and faith organizing to the heart of the state’s lawmaking process.

Eli Baumwell is the interim executive director of ACLU West Virginia. He said it’s important for his staff to make contact with legislators but also to educate and engage the public on their own civil rights and liberties.

“Because we cover such a large range of issues, sometimes they get lost in the day to day new shuffle,” he said. “But these are all really important issues. They affect basic civil rights and basic civil liberties, and we think it’s very important that the public is educated about them.”

Baumwell said the ACLU would like to see voting rights expanded to people on probation and parole this session, and will be following issues of capital punishment closely.

“The ACLU has a strong opposition to the death penalty,” he said. “That would be a horrible step backwards for the state. So we’re doing everything in our power to make sure that people understand the human cost and the fiscal cost of a policy like that.”

New House Leadership Positions Verified

Speaker of the House of Delegates, Roger Hanshaw, has made some committee leadership appointments and changes prior to the upcoming 2023 regular legislative session.

Three sources within House membership confirm that House Finance Chairman Eric Householder, R-Berkeley, will become House Majority Leader replacing Del. Amy Summers, R-Taylor.

Those sources say the majority leader position decision came down to Householder and Del. Matthew Rohrbach, R-Cabell. Rohrbach will remain as Health Committee Chair and may have two vice-chairs.

Del. Vernon Criss, R-Wood, who has been the finance committee vice-chair, moves up to the chair of the finance committee.

Sources say Hanshaw appointed Del. Marty Gearheart, R-Mercer, as majority whip, and Del. Paul Espinosa, R-Jefferson, as speaker pro tem.

We also understand that current speaker pro tem Del. Gary Howell, R-Mineral, will take over a new economic development committee.

All House members are now receiving letters in the mail informing them of their committee assignment and positions.

The legislative session runs 60 days and will begin on Jan. 11, 2023.

ARC Accepting Applications for New Leadership Training Program

The Appalachian Regional Commission Monday began accepting applications for a new leadership and economic training program.

Forty community leaders that live and work in Appalachia will be chosen for the inaugural class of the Appalachian Leadership Institute.

The nine-month program is focused on economic development. Fellows will learn how to develop economic development projects that are integrated with their communities and identify funding resources to make them possible.

According to a press release, the curriculum will include skill-building, six multi-day seminars held across Appalachia, best practice reviews, field visits, mentoring and networking.

Tim Thomas, ARC’s Federal Co-Chair said in a press release that the program “will help these leaders enhance and refine their skills, share their expertise, and prepare their communities for success.”

Applications are currently being accepted through June 1, 2019. More information about the program and information on how to apply is available at www.arc.gov/leadershipinstitute.

WVU President Says its Talent Obligates Economic Leadership

West Virginia University President Gordon Gee says he’s committing the school to innovation and research, supporting local business, talent expansion and alumni outreach as part of a statewide economic initiative.

In his state of the university address Monday, Gee says WVU and its affiliated medical center are West Virginia’s largest employer and economic engine, and its collective talent obligates its leadership in advancing the state.

He also notes that the Legislature has cut support more than $38 million the last four years, and WVU has enrolled a record 6,200 first-time freshmen on its Morgantown, Beckley and Keyser campuses.

That class has higher test scores, grade averages and international students, and the largest honors class in history in Morgantown with 921 students.

Gee says that happened while substantially raising admissions standards.

Eastern Panhandle's Influence in Charleston Grows

Eastern Panhandle lawmakers met at an annual Legislative Breakfast Friday to discuss their top priorities for the 2017 Legislative session. Senators and delegates touched on a variety of issues, but what’s clear is the region’s growing influence at the statehouse.

Since the GOP won the majority in both chambers of the state Legislature two years ago, many Eastern Panhandle Republicans have been appointed to influential posts within their respective chambers.

To name just a few, Senator Charlie Trump of Morgan County chairs Senate Judiciary; Delegate Paul Espinosa of Jefferson County chairs House Education, and Delegate Daryl Cowles of Morgan County is the House Majority Leader. Cowles says having Eastern Panhandle representatives in key positions means the regions voice will be heard at the Capitol.

“It’s roles like that, those pivotal roles that make the difference that have our voice heard in Charleston and have issues of Charleston brought back home,” Cowles said.

The Eastern Panhandle is one of the most rapidly growing regions in West Virginia – a state that’s losing population overall. In the past, lawmakers from the area have criticized legislative leaders for ignoring the needs of the growing communities.